Dictionary
Words, grammatical forms and meanings linked to the ontology.
hang fire en · NOUN
Meanings
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The situation when a gun does not immediately fire when the trigger is pulled, but may fire shortly after.
Forms
hang fire en · VERB
Meanings
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(of a firearm) To fail to fire immediately when the trigger is pulled.
[…] a number of Portuguese soldiers entered, one of whom, taking me for a Frenchman, for I had the French soldier's jacket on, my own being wet, snapped his piece at me, which luckily hung fire.
1841, Edward Costello, The adventures of a soldier:
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(figuratively) To wait or hold back.
Kevin hung fire where he was, staring at Chaney's body with dilated eyes and a slowly greening complexion.
1993, Dana Stabenow, A Fatal Thaw, →ISBN, page 132:“I’m just goin’ ter settle this little ——, that’s all,” said Dawes desperately.
“What do you mean?” snapped Thomas Jordan.
“What I say,” said Dawes, but he hung fire.
1913, D[avid] H[erbert] Lawrence, “chapter 13”, in Sons and Lovers, London: Duckworth & Co. […], →OCLC:We were told to hang fire on the decision until management came back with a proposal.
Forms